1517 Media is adding to its Fortress Press, Beaming Books, and Augsburg Books imprints with Broadleaf Books—a new imprint focusing on nonfiction titles related to religion, spirituality, social justice, personal growth, Christian living, and more.
Jill Braithwaite, associate publisher of Beaming Books, which is 1517 Media’s children’s trade imprint, will lead Broadleaf along with Alison Vandenberg, senior director of marketing and sales at Beaming Books. In the same vein as other general books published by the company for general audiences, such as Seculosity by David Zahl (Fortress, 2019), Broadleaf will “publish books from thought leaders and emerging spirituality voices that reflect on how to live with meaning and connection,” Braithwaite said in the press release announcing the imprint.
“Our readers may or may not be active in Christian communities but they share a belief that questioning, self-reflection, activism, and inclusivity can be valuable aspects of a faith journey,” Vandenberg added.
The imprint’s inaugural titles include Just Faith: Reclaiming Progressive Christianity by Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons (July), Worth It: Overcome Your Fears and Embrace the Life You Were Meant For by Brit Barron (July), and IRL: Finding Realness, Meaning, and Belonging in Our Digital Lives by Chris Stedman (Oct.).
The imprint will release 21 titles in 2020, followed by approximately 50 titles each year after that, with plans for growing the seasonal list over time.
